{"id":"F2022L01313","name":"List of Threatened Ecological Communities Amendment (EC179) Instrument 2022","slug":"list-of-threatened-ecological-communities-amendment-ec179-instrument-2022","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":102713,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2022L01313-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"List of Threatened Ecological Communities Amendment (EC179) Instrument 2022","content":"![Commonwealth of Australia coat of arms](image.001.png)\n\nCommonwealth of Australia\n\nList of Threatened Ecological Communities Amendment (EC179) Instrument 2022\n\nI, TANYA PLIBERSEK, Minister for the Environment and Water, pursuant to paragraph 184(a) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, amend the list referred to in section 181 of that Act by including in the list of threatened ecological communities in the endangered category:\n\nSubtropical eucalypt floodplain forest and woodland of the New South Wales North Coast and South East Queensland bioregions\n\nas described in the Schedule to this instrument.\n\nThis instrument commences the day after registration.\n\nTanya Plibersek\n\n...................................................................................\n\nTanya Plibersek\n\nMinister for the Environment and Water\n\nDated ...... 26-9-22........................................................\n\n  \nSCHEDULE 1\n\nSubtropical eucalypt floodplain forest and woodland of the New South Wales North Coast and South East Queensland bioregions\n\nThe Subtropical eucalypt floodplain forest and woodland of the New South Wales North Coast and South East Queensland bioregions is the assemblage of native plants, animals and other organisms that comprise forests and woodlands dominated by trees from five myrtaceous genera that occurs on alluvial landforms, including floodplains, riparian zones, alluvial flats, floodplain terraces and periodically flooded depressions, within the New South Wales North Coast and South Eastern Queensland bioregions, and on Curtis Island in the Brigalow Belt North bioregion. It generally occurs at elevations below 50 m above sea‑level (ASL), although it can occur up to 250 m ASL.\n\nThe ecological community generally occurs on alluvial soils, with more limited occurrences on in-situ soils within localised depressions, which may be at least occasionally saturated, water-logged, or inundated. Alluvial soils are very diverse and usually reflect the properties of their parent material in the upper catchment, but they may include in-situ subsoils, and colluvial deposits that overlay the alluvial floodplain. The ecological community does not typically occur on soils that are primarily marine or aeolian sand but may occur on such substrates after they have been modified by fluvial activity.\n\nThe structure of the ecological community, in its undisturbed state, varies from tall open forest to woodland, although partial clearing may have reduced the canopy to scattered trees in some areas. Elsewhere, there may be localised areas of denser closed forest and/or low forest. The tree canopy is dominated by eucalypts and other myrtaceous trees (specifically Eucalyptus, Angophora, Corymbia, Lophostemon and Syncarpia species), often as a mixture of species.\n\nA mid layer, or sub-canopy, of small trees may be present with scattered to dense shrubs. For example, Melaleuca, Leptospermum and related genera may form dense thickets beneath the main canopy, or in gaps between canopy trees. Its groundcover is generally more diverse and abundant than for other forests and woodlands in locally adjoining slopes.\n\nThe ecological community includes a variety of fauna species, including several species that are listed as threatened at a national or state level.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The instrument expands the scope of the EPBC Act’s list of threatened ecological communities by adding this specified community to the endangered category, thereby altering which habitats and locations are included in the statutory list as described in the Schedule."},"complexity_factors":["Single, discrete amendment: only one ecological community is added to the list (simple statutory change).","Technical ecological description in the Schedule (species genera, soil types, elevations, landforms) requires expert identification to apply on the ground.","Geographic specificity across multiple bioregions and an island (NSW North Coast, SE Queensland bioregions, Curtis Island) creates mapping and boundary-determination tasks.","Legal cross-reference to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (para 184(a), s181) provides the amendment power and links to broader statutory framework.","Immediate commencement (day after registration) requires prompt administrative and compliance responses by authorities and affected landholders."],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument adds “Subtropical eucalypt floodplain forest and woodland of the New South Wales North Coast and South East Queensland bioregions” to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 list of threatened ecological communities in the endangered category (authority: para 184(a), s181). It commences the day after registration.\n\nThe Schedule describes low‑elevation alluvial forests and woodlands dominated by five myrtaceous genera across specified bioregions and on Curtis Island, so the amendment changes which locations and habitats are captured by that statutory list and therefore which occurrences are identified for the Act’s attention."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This instrument performs exactly the function intended by the enabling legislation (section 184 of the EPBC Act): adding a specific ecological community to the threatened list. The scope remains tightly focused on this single administrative action with no expansion beyond the original statutory purpose."},"complexity_factors":["Single, straightforward amendment adding one ecological community to an existing list","No defined terms section — relies on descriptive ecological criteria in the Schedule rather than legal definitions","No cross-references to other legislation beyond the basic enabling provision (paragraph 184(a) of the EPBC Act)","No conditional logic, exceptions, or procedural requirements","Short length (approximately 300 words of substantive content)","Clear, descriptive scientific language rather than technical legal drafting"],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument adds the Subtropical eucalypt floodplain forest and woodland to the national endangered list, covering parts of the NSW North Coast, south‑east Queensland and Curtis Island.  \n\nListing triggers federal environmental protections: activities that could significantly impact these low‑lying, alluvial gum‑dominated forests — by clearing, development, mining or infrastructure — may need federal approval. It directly affects landholders, developers, governments and conservation groups in those regions."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/list-of-threatened-ecological-communities-amendment-ec179-instrument-2022","history":"/api/acts/list-of-threatened-ecological-communities-amendment-ec179-instrument-2022/history","analysis":"/api/acts/list-of-threatened-ecological-communities-amendment-ec179-instrument-2022/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/list-of-threatened-ecological-communities-amendment-ec179-instrument-2022/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/list-of-threatened-ecological-communities-amendment-ec179-instrument-2022/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/list-of-threatened-ecological-communities-amendment-ec179-instrument-2022/documents"}}